Today's strike came after an Iraqi military jet violated the Southern No-Fly Zone, officials said. Coalition strikes in the no-fly zones are executed as a self-defense measure in response to Iraqi hostile threats and acts against coalition forces and their aircraft.

Yesterday, coalition aircrews struck Iraqi air defense sites in the Southern No-fly Zone twice. The first strike occurred at about 12:20 p.m. local time near Ash Shuaybah, approximately 245 miles southeast of Baghdad. Officials said the second strike came roughly two hours later near Tallil, about 170 miles southeast of Baghdad.

Both coalition strikes involved precision-guided weapons and came when Iraq moved radar devices south of the 33rd parallel in violation of the established no-fly zone, officials said.